


Falling In Line

by purplepen76



Series: Home Is Where the Pack Is [3]
Category: teen wolf - Fandom
Genre: Action/Adventure, BAMF Stiles Stilinski, Bottom Danny Mahealani, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Mpreg, Multi, Pack Bonding, Pack Dad Derek Hale, Pack Dynamics, Pack Feels, Pack Mother Stiles Stilinski, Secret Organizations, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is John, Slow building plot, Stiles likes to adopt stray teenagers, growing pack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-04
Updated: 2015-04-17
Packaged: 2018-02-03 08:36:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1738172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplepen76/pseuds/purplepen76
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>April fifth was marked on the pack calendar with a large red circle and multiple arrows. There were even gold stars decorating the circumference of the red magic marker, though no one would own up to who had put them there. April fifth was the day that the manor would open up and become a temporary home and base for six other packs, all of whom had been affected by the Family in slight to excessive means.</i>
</p><p>To say that Stiles was going a little crazy with the preparations was a bit of an understatement.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, I know this one was a long time coming. I'm sorry! I started a new job at the beginning of May so things have been a bit nuts, but I'm trying to get back on track!

April fifth was marked on the pack calendar with a large red circle and multiple arrows. There were even gold stars decorating the circumference of the red magic marker, though no one would own up to who had put them there. April fifth was the day that the manor would open up and become a temporary home and base for six other packs, all of whom had been affected by the Family in slight to excessive means. Chief in orchestrating the meeting was Danny who had put most of his actual work on hold to insure that every detail was planned and executed for their arrival.

“Do you have the background checks for me?” Stiles asked for the tenth time that day. It was still a week out until the meeting and the pack mom was beside himself with anxiety.

“They’re in a zipped file on your laptop, like they have been for the past three months. I already checked them out and so did Derek and Scott, if you really want to bore yourself with the read be my guest.” Danny knew that Stiles was just nervous about having so many strangers in their home and he honestly didn’t blame him. Derek had spoken to each alpha personally however and had made it very clear to them the consequences of stabbing the Hale pack in the back. In the end most of the packs that they had contacted through Helena had agreed to the terms of the treaty, essentially making Derek the alpha of seven packs instead of just his own.

The twins and Jackson were busy setting up a campground of sorts out in the lawn. The alpha’s, their mates and children and the young children and their parents would be staying in the manor, but because the there so many of them, many of the packs members would need to camp out on the property. During their stay, Derek and Stiles would stay in their own suite, Maria and Cora would stay in the guest suite that Maria had previously occupied along with Isaac and his mates. The rest of the pack had easily given up their rooms for the guests and would be sharing one of the large tent complexes that they had bought specifically for the occasion. Derek had even approved of RVs on the lawn and Stiles was busy spending most of his time with Deaton, going over the security measures that each RV would need to pass before they were admitted through the gate.

“I think Melissa and my Dad are going to be by for dinner, can you make sure the whole pack is home?” Stiles asked Danny as he sorted through some of the paperwork that was scattered around Derek’s desk. “Tonight I think we need to start the full cleanup of the manor.”

“Sure thing, I don’t suppose you’re going to let one of us off the hook to stay with Isaac will you?” Danny grinned and Stiles laughed, knowing all too well that Danny deserved the break after all the work he’d been doing for the pack.

“Sure, you stay with the pup,” Danny cheered and Stiles held up his hand, “after you help your mates clean up your suite.”

“Yeah, sure sounds good!” Danny smiled and went back to the message boards. Not only had he set up the website that had allowed all of the packs easy access to reach each other, but he also was one of the main people working to keep communication smooth. Isaac also often helped. He was nearing the end of the pregnancy and while it was inconvenient to have so many people around it couldn’t be helped since the safety of all of the packs was in question.

Stiles left Danny to it, going in search of the rest of his pups. Since the ordeal would be strenuous on all of the pack, they’d all agreed to divide up the responsibilities. Maria, Cora, and Derek were in charge of checking in all the packs when they arrived. Since the Hales were born it would be better for them to handle the mass influx of wolves and humans. It also helped that they were the only remaining Hales and that alone would keep their visitors in line. Maria had agreed to help because Helena and her old pack were coming up first and she would have an easier time working with them than one of Stiles’ other pups might have. When the packs arrived, Allison, Ethan, Melissa, and Lydia were all in charge of the cooking. Stiles would help oversee, but as his role in the pack was so important he would need to be with Derek most of the time to greet their guests. Aiden, Jackson, Chris, and John would form a security group that helped watch the entrances to the manor and grounds as well as to run patrols with the other packs. It had already been agreed upon that each pack would supply anywhere between one to four of their own members to keep up with routine patrols. It would be a good exercise to build pack bonding as well as to show the new wolves around the territory.

“Everything is looking good on the lawn.” Allison reported when Stiles spotted her at the bottom of the stairs. She was smiling warmly up to him, the stress of the impending meeting seemingly melting from her as Stiles wrapped her in a tight hug.

“Good, how is Isaac doing?”

“As well as can be expected.” Allison sighed and moved away from the man. “He’s resting in the guest suite with Lydia. She’s trying to make him as comfortable as possible.”

Isaac and Lydia had once upon a time seemed like unlikely friends, but the pack bond and their bond over their expected cubs helped bridge the gap. Lydia had announced that she and Aiden would be expecting in late November or early December, she was just barely two months along. The pack had been ecstatic at the news of another young member and were already expecting that the two would grow up to be great friends.

“That’s good, why don’t we go see if the tents are done? I asked Danny to make sure everyone was home for dinner, so I’m thinking that sandwiches for lunch should be fine.” Allison and Stiles left through the front door, hand in hand, and walked into a comical scene as the twins and Jackson seemed to be tangled in the tent gear. Derek and Scott were standing off to the side, doing their best to hide their laughter while it seemed that Deaton had already left. The tangled mass of wolves stopped when Stiles and Allison joined their Alpha and former Alpha on the sidelines.

“This is all Aiden’s fault.” Ethan whined, effectively untangling himself while throwing his brother under the bus.

“Hey, Jackson was the one who tripped first!”

“The keyword you need to know is first.” Jackson pointed out from his spot on the ground. he was sitting in the middle of the tarp with a smug smile on his face. Leave it to Jackson to make a mess and still look smug.

“How about the three of you come over here and we let Derek and Scott fix this mess? I think the garden could use watering and I’m sure Jackson would like to help you two out.” Stiles delegated and watched as things began to fall into place. The twins and Jackson made their way to the back of the house where the water lines were kept, playfully arguing the whole way. Allison and the pack mom started to hand the boys the rods that they needed to assemble the large tents. The task was complete quickly after and the four made their way back into the house to help start lunch.

The weather looked like it was going to hold out for the rest of the day. It wasn’t raining as much as a typical April, but it meant that the grounds just might stay dry through the mission they had in play. Danny, Stiles, and Allison had done their best detective efforts along with backup from John and the full force of the police department. They knew that the Family had set up shop in Oregon after one of Helena’s own had gone under deep cover for two months to root them out. He was a young druid, not even out of school. It had been hard for Derek to agree to let the mission happen, but the Family only took in children and having a strange teenager break their ranks was hard enough as it was, there was no way that they’d have put anyone younger on the job, but Jason was mature and capable. Stiles and Deaton had evaluated him themselves before they’d grudgingly given them some of their higher end magically enhanced gadgets.

“You thinking about Jason?” Allison asked quietly while Scott and Derek moved around them in the kitchen to prepare a salad big enough to feed the pack.

“Yeah, it’s been a few days, I’m just worried.”

“Me too, man, but he’s gone longer without contacting us before. They seem to really trust him and he’s too new to be close to Andrea so I’m sure he’s fine.” Scott reassured. Scott had also been very unsure about sending the boy. In a lot of ways Scott was the second to both Derek as the next alpha, but also to Stiles as the next pack mom. He was kind and cared to a fault and often he was the reason that Stiles could push on each day, just knowing that his best friend in life was there to share the burden with him.

“I know, but that doesn’t mean that I have to like it.” Scott and Allison took over most of the tasks in the the kitchen as Derek silently led his mate out the back door and into the private garden. The twins had set up an enclosure that was meant for pack only. Even John and Melissa hadn’t been allowed in the garden until they’d officially joined the pack. It was a space where everyone could go to just unwind and forget about the troubles of their day.

No one else was there. The three tending to the yard were around the front, making sure that the bed of flowers that circled around the manor were watered. Derek wasn’t often so quiet, but sometimes Stiles found that his mate would keep quiet for the younger man’s benefit. As much as Stiles loved to talk, he also loved the time he got to spend just wrapped up in Derek arms.

“If this is too much after we take down the Family we can call an end to the truce.” Derek offered as he large hands rubbed warm circles up and down Stiles’ arms. They were curled up on the bench nestled in the back of the garden. Stiles was sitting with his back flush against Derek’s chest, so close that he was nearly in the werewolf’s lap.

“We both know that I would never want that and that it would be impossible to keep everyone safe without the truce.” Derek hummed in response and silence fell between them again. He dipped his head down to nip gently at Stiles’ shoulder. “That is so not fair.” Stiles moaned as his head fell forward to give Derek better access. They didn’t have long alone. The rest of the pack would be home for lunch soon and Stiles really did need to go back and help start the sandwiches, but Derek’s mouth was doing wicked things to his pulse point and Stiles was finding it hard to remember why he wasn’t supposed to be enjoying himself with his mate at that very moment.

“We should go, the others are starting to come home.” Derek whispered against the shell of Stiles’ ear before his human teeth came out to graze against the soft skin.

“Fuck Derek,” Stiles hissed. He moved his body so he could straddle the man, bringing their lips together in a hot and needy kiss. “If you want me to go and get lunch ready you need to stop what you’re doing.”

“You’re the one straddling me and grinding your hips into me.” Derek breathed out, gripping at Stiles hard enough to bruise.

“Oh yeah, maybe I am.” Stiles half laughed half moaned, pulling himself away from his mate with a lot of over exaggerated effort. “Come on Sourwolf, we have a whole pack of hungry wolves we need to feed.”

“Right behind you, Red.” Derek grinned, all teeth, as he followed his lover back into the house. They made their way back into the crowded kitchen and every wolf in the room immediately wrinkled their noses.

“Okay guys, can we keep the hot and heavy makeout sessions to when we’re not all forced to spend time together?” Aiden fake complained.

“Hey this is your alpha’s house, he can do whatever he pleases.” Stiles swatted at Aiden who ducked with ease.

“Or whomever.” Derek leered.

“Oh yuck, suddenly I’m not that hungry anymore.” Scott made gagging noises and Allison fondly cuffed him over the head.

“Don’t worry, I’ll eat your portion.” Isaac called from the door and everyone made way for the very pregnant werewolf, Lydia at his side. Isaac had one hand poised on his stomach and his other tangled in Lydia’s.

“Do you think Scott could ever actually give up a meal?” Jackson spoke from his spot on the counter. Cora was standing at his legs while Maria sat on his other side, her legs swinging easily.

The pack fell into a comfortable level of noise. Most of them were home for lunch, though Melissa and Chris were still out. Stiles allowed his pups to take care of most of the sandwich making while he and Derek sat back. They often joked about how the betas were their children. Since Derek was firm in his stance to not turn Stiles unless necessary, children of their own would never be possible. They’d once talked about asking Cora for her eggs, then their children would be Stilinski-Hale in blood and name. In the long run, it was Stiles that decided that adoption might be the best route. Stiles felt that there were enough children in the world that needed good homes that he and Derek could help. Looking over at Maira as she leaned on Jackson made Stiles fell even more that he had made the right decision.

“What are you thinking about?” Derek whispered in his mate’s ear. The wolves of the pack would have been able to hear them easily, but it seemed that everyone was preoccupied enough to give them some space.

“I’m just glad we both got the big family we wanted.” Stiles smiled and turned to kiss his mate gently. “I know this isn’t quite what you were thinking…”

“It’s perfect,” Derek smiled back, wrapping his arms tightly around the smaller man.

“Are you two done being saps? We’re all trying to have lunch here.” Aiden complained as he opened the fridge and began to dole out drinks to everyone in the room. “We’re going to have lunch in the garden.”

The room emptied out slowly and yet the pair stayed put. Stiles relaxed as Derek pulled him closer, running his strong hands up and down his lover’s stomach. Derek mouthed at his ear, just as he had earlier and Stiles knew that joining their pups for lunch was not going to happen.

“What do you say we go upstairs? The house is technically empty.” Derek whispered in Stiles’ ear. His deep laugh rumbled through the human’s body and made his heart speed up.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” The pair hardly made their way into the room before they’d stripped down, the remainder of their clothes decorating the house.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The six packs arrive to the manor and a with them brings a surprise from Stiles' past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! I am hoping to get the next chapter out within the next few weeks!

Jackson sat at the gate of the Manor, his eyes trained on the road. The first pack was set to arrive within the hour and the energy in the house was tense at best. Stiles was so high strung that Derek was staying well clear of him and Isaac was banned from dealing the man until things calmed back down. The noise and the nerves had gotten to be too much for the blond wolf and he escaped to the quiet of the yard. He would have to enjoy it for as long as he could because as soon as the first pack showed up, quiet would be impossible to find. The sun was creeping up over the treeline, bathing Jackson in warmth. He knew without looking that he wasn’t completely alone. Danny was standing at the fence, just a few feet away from him, giving his mate the space that he obviously needed.

“I don’t bite you know. Not really.” Jackson called out, looking behind him to catch the hint of the grin that ghosted over his mate’s face. Danny moved toward him with practiced ease and Jackson felt his wolf calm instantly in response. He and Danny had always been like a two parts of a single unit. Like the popular version of Stiles and Scott, the two had been best friends since before they could remember. The rift that had been opened with Jackson’s sudden departure had healed faster than the blond could have ever hoped for and Danny was a needed presence in his life.

“Enjoying the calm before the storm?” Danny laughed as he nuzzled his neck.

“Something like that. Where’s Ethan?”

“Inside still I think,” Danny leaned into his mate’s arm and kissed him sweetly, “he and Allison are making sure lunch is prepared and will run smooth.”

“So they’re being productive and Stiles is busting their balls?” Danny laughed and nipped at his bottom lip.

“Stop that, you know Stiles means well. Anyway, he’s not the only nervous one.”

“I know, we all are.” Jackson sighed.

The two continued to sit, wrapped up in the other as the sun crawled up into the sky, shining high above them. They had precious minutes left before Helena and her pack were to arrive. It wouldn’t be a problem if the two were the one to greet them since Helena had already signed the treaty and was seen as part of the large pack that they were forming. Still Jackson didn’t fancy being forced to great a large group of people he didn’t know. He might be very different from the angry boy that he once was, but he still hated large groups of people he didn’t know. He always felt the pressure of performing and being the best representation of himself, never allowing them to see his flaws.

Danny knew his best friend too well. He knew the things that would be running through his mind, his anxiety towards meeting new people. He allowed his hands to run up and down Jackson’s arms and back. His skilled fingers dug into the muscles that he could reach, happy to see that his mate was beginning to relax. Jackson would never sit still long enough to listen to words of encouragement or reassurance, but physical touch always worked to ground him.

“Are you two coming inside?” Allison’s called from the manor and the boys slowly disentangled themselves to join the others. The house was filled with the smell of freshly cut fruit and Ethan’s signature macaroni salad. Sandwiches filled with deli meats lined the counter and Lydia and Aiden were already beginning to bring them out to the tables which were set up in the front yard. Jackson and Danny began to help the effort and by the time they were done moving all of the food, Helena and her pack were waiting at the gate.

“Okay guys, let’s get this show on the road!” With those last cheerful words from Stiles, the pack broke off to their respective duties. Derek, Cora, and Maria made their way to the gate to greet the other pack. Stiles, Ethan, and Allison went back into the house to get drinks, cups, plates and utensils with Lydia and Isaac close behind. Jackson stood with Aiden and Danny just behind their alpha. The parents were out for the day, Melissa and John were at work while Chris agreed to arrive later. It would be easier to explain his presence to all of the packs at once. While his daughter was officially pack, Chris and Derek had agreed to hold off from initiating him until after the hunt for the psychopath who happened to be his half sister was caught. They could still use some of his hunting ties to get information and until that point, it was more important to have him be just a visitor even if making him pack would be safer.

“It’s so good to see you again!” Helena explained when Maria ran to meet her at the gate. Cora and Derek stayed a respectful distance behind, allowing the two a moment. When they parted, Helena walked right up to Derek, extending her hand to shake his, but the alpha surprised her by bringing her in for a hug instead. Derek was a very tactile alpha, as was his pack and they had spoken to Helena about being hands on with her betas. Touch was one of the most important parts of being pack and that alone could work wonders for a newly developing pack.

“Welcome home.” Cora smiled warmly to the other alpha, also hugging her when Derek released her.

“Thank you, it’s nice to be back. Let me introduce you to my pack.” Helena stepped aside to reveal her small, relatively young pack. “This is Jessica and her mate Luke. Their youngest son Alex is with them and somewhere in the back of the group is their oldest son Jonathan. Then there is Lia and Camden, they were bitten by the old alpha just before Maria,” Helena ran down the rest of the group, a total of seven children and five adults, none of the members were human. Derek and Cora checked them all in and Maria caught up with her old pack.

Allison and Ethan were happily handing out food and drinks to Jessica and Luke while Lydia and Aiden looked after the younger children. Stiles was happy to see that so far the members of the small Utah pack were getting along well with his own. Danny was showing the teens to the tents that were meant for them while Isaac showed one of the other parents into the manor where they would be staying on the Hale pup’s wing.

The pack from Nevada that had originally tipped Helan off about the family was the next to arrive. They were just as small as Helena’s pack. The alpha was an older man named Greg. He seemed calm in nature and easily warmed up to John and Chris when they arrived. His pack was made up of three teenagers and seven adults. They were a family pack. Greg was the grandfather while his four children and three of their mates made up the adults. The two oldest of his children had two and one child respectively. Greg would be staying the the alpha’s wing while the rest of his pack was old enough to stay in the tents out on the field.

The next three packs came back to back from there. Danny joined them at the front of the gate to greet each pack since he had been the one to work the message boards and would thus know them all the best. Two of the three came from Southern California while the other was from Washington state. They were also smaller than the Hale pack, though the Washington pack had humans too which the rest of the packs lacked. From what they could tell they were all easy packs to pick off, the Family must have had quite the shock when they’d tried to come up against the Hale pack.

Lydia and Aiden seemed to be in their element with the many children running around and it warmed Stiles’ heart to see that his childhood crush and her mate were going to make great parents. Derek was taking a break and was standing with Stiles, watching over his own pack and the many others that were willing to defer to him in order to keep themselves safe. He wrapped his arms around Stiles, pulling his mate close to his body. He could smell the happiness that floated around the younger man and it was intoxicating. He loved Stiles more than he ever thought was possible and he knew that bringing these packs together would do more good than to just them, but to his own mate as well. Through helping so many people, Stiles could adopt as many new people into his pack to take care of as he pleased and Derek had the added reassurance that they all had homes of them own and would not be staying for too long. It was a bit being like supernatural grandparents and the thought made Derek laugh.

“What’s up, Der?”

“Nothing, I just should have known that you would have found a loophole to my ‘no more adopting stray pups’ rule.”

“Well, I wouldn’t be your mate if I couldn’t keep up!” Stiles smirked, leaning up to kiss his mate. They continued to enjoy the slight moment of peace before they were interrupted by the final pack. “Wait, isn’t that Harry?” Stiles broke away from his mate and was at the gates before anyone could stop him. On the other side of the gate stood Harry, Stiles’ old roommate. He looked nearly same, just four years older. He had a small, hesitant smile on his face and he bowed his head in respect to the alpha mate. “I would have recognized your name or Ramirez’s on the list. How did you get past all of our security?”

“I was afraid you’d turn my pack away if you’d known I was their alpha. I am sorry for this deception.” Harry spoke with his head still turned down, though Stiles was far from letting his guard down. Derek joined him then, with Aiden close behind.

“Why would we let you in know if you lied to us? Treaties are made based on trust.” Aiden spoke this time and Harry let his pose go, meeting the man’s eyes. They watched each other, surveying the other before Harry answered.

“I knew that if I got my pack here we could convince you that we would make good allies. This pack is not the same as the one you saw me part of four years ago. I left that pack when I was pulled out of school. I could have returned to Harvey Mudd, but I knew that something had started that I needed to finish. I was an omega and I needed to train hard to get stronger. I went back to Ramirez and forced him to relinquish power to me. Since then I have been spending all of my time caring for my pack.”

“He’s not lying.” Derek told Stiles and the boy nodded, already knowing that it was the case. He and Harry might not have known each other for long, but Stiles prided himself in his ability to ready people and he was sure that Harry was being genuine.

“Okay, let them in.” Stiles stepped aside, using his magic to open the gate latch. It was more of a display than strictly necessary and Harry seemed to take the warning for what it was at face value. “When they are done checking in, see his pack to the food, I want to talk to Harry personally in my study.”

Stiles’ pups let him pass through with no issue and he made his way up to the study. It unnerved him that someone from his past could so easily slip past all of their security measures and find himself in front of his home. It made him wonder if Andrea could do the same and if he should have let all of the strangers in his front lawn in. When he let himself into the study, Isaac was waiting for him, a thin smile on his tired face.

“So you heard all of that?” Isaac nodded and moved over on the couch to allow Stiles enough room to snuggle up with him.

“This isn’t your fault.” Isaac soothed and Stiles cozied up to the warmth. “Harry’s pack checked out in every way. Harry listed himself as the alpha’s second. He listed his second as the alpha. It was that alone that made us overlook him.”

“I know, but I feel like I let you guys down. I should have known something was up and now I’ve let someone into our home that I don’t think I can trust. How could I let something like that happen? Especially now.” Stiles rubbed his hand over Isaac’s belly.

“Oh stop it, you are amazing for this pack. You are what help us together when everything went to hell and now you’re the one helping to bring us into another, better chapter of our lives. You love us all so much and we all know that you would never knowingly put any of us in danger.”

“Thank you, pup.” Stiles kissed the man’s cheek and held him closer. A knock on the door caught both of their attention. “Come in.”

Harry made is way cautiously into the room. Suddenly Stiles was reminded of the scarred boy that left with his angry alpha and his heart swelled, reminding him that it was that boy that he’d been scared for. He used to spend sleepless nights worrying about his old roommate and Danny could confirm that most of the months following had been spent with Stiles in Danny’s bed, wrapped up in his pack mate to sooth him to sleep.

“Sorry, should I give you two a minute?”

“No it’s okay, I was about to head out and look for my mates anyway.” Isaac smiled and turned to kiss Stiles on the cheek before moving toward the door. Stiles righted himself on the couch until he was seated. He motioned to the empty seat in front of him. “I’m sorry if I was rude to your pack out there. I will make sure to give them a formal apology when we go back downstairs.

“No need. You were well within reason. You’re the pack mom and anything that could put your family in danger is of great concern to you.”

“Still, there was no reason for how I treated them.” Stiles sighed, running his hand over his face.

“Well I wouldn’t worry about it. Even if you did try to give them a formal apology, they wouldn’t know what you were doing them. My pack is young. I love them and have trained them hard to protect themselves and heighten their senses, but werewolf etiquette hasn’t been high on my priority list.” The sheepish smile on Harry’s face made Stiles find himself smiling back. it was almost like the smile he’d coax from the boy after a hard day of studying and a healthy dose of procrastination.

“Maybe that’s something that we could help with. Danny mentioned that the message boards were swimming with questions for the born wolves in our pack and I think we could all gain from a few etiquette lessons.” It had been something that Derek had suggested. Of course things like that would have to wait until Andrea was caught and the Family disbanded. Still it was nice to dream.

“That would be great. Listen, how have you been? I’ve always wanted to reach out to you, but I figured that you’d never want to speak to me again. I hoped that coming out here would give me that chance.” The genuine concern on the man’s face made Stiles feel like any ill intent he might have had toward his old roommate disappear.

“I’ve been well, the past few months have been hard with Andrea and her misfit gain, but we’re starting to work in the right direction to protect ourselves so I suppose things are getting better.” Stiles leaned back into the plush cushions, relaxing his guard.

“Well that’s where I hope to help. I think we might have some information on the Family that could bring them down for good.” That piqued Stiles’ interest and he instantly sat forward, leaning in eagerly to hear more. “One of the younger girls in my pack was talked to by a member of the Family. It was before she joined us, she’s a druid in training, and they’d tried to talk her into being one of them. They played on her lack of stable home and she’d almost believe them. I think that’s about the time that they took Derek. She was there with some of the lower level members when Andrea called for a full retreat. She decided that it wasn’t the place she wanted to be and was able to slip out in the confusion. She has some memories of the their plans, but I think it will take a trained druid to help pull them from her subconscious.”

“Well you certainly came to the right place. We need to go get Derek.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are going to pick up from here and we are finally going to get some answers to all of the pack's questions. Also expect to see Andrea's pov for the first time within the next few chapters!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions come to a head at the manor and we get our first real look into the mind of the mastermind behind the Family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I am so sorry for how long this chapter took. I had literally no idea where I wanted it to go and then I finally just sat down and decided that I would just let it right itself. As a result I have literally no idea what it became.

Stiles, Derek, Danny, and Harry were pouring over a map in the study. Hannah, the young girl who was part of Harry’s pack was sitting in the chair between the four men, pointing out all of the things that she could remember that were marked on a map she saw in the Family headquarters. Stiles had yet to work with her on her memory, but it seemed like the girl already knew a good amount. Allison had already been in and out of the room, checking their progress and bringing them food. Chris had promised to help where he could when the map was complete. He might not know about Andrea’s existence, but he knew his father and his habits well.

“There was a weird mark over here,” Hannah pointed to a spot that was very clearly on Beacon Hills, “it looked something like this.” Danny found the girl a pen and she carefully drew out a fleur de lis, the Argent family symbol. “It wasn’t exactly like that though, I’ve seen this shape before, but it was different on their map.” Hannah continued to draw until the fleur de lis looked more like a rune than anything.

“Wait a minute, I know this mark.” Stiles said, sucking in a breath that the room seemed to collectively hold. Stiles flew from the table to the expansive library surrounding them. His hands went straight for an old, leather bound book as if it were one he’d read all his life. He leafed through it until he found the page he was looking for, triumphantly pointing to a picture that very closely resembled the mark on the map. “I came across this when I was looking up lore on hunters and werewolves, it was a side project.”

Derek’s brow rose at the explanation and Stiles shrugged the look off with ease.

“In this particular lore, it said that after the great hunting family took down the dangerous werewolves in France, a rumor broke that a scandal and fallen on the family. One of the young daughters had taken in with a druid and they were expecting a child. Of course the Argents were against druids just as much as they were werewolves, but they grudgingly let the child live, so long as she was never brought up in polite company, and they did their best to forget she even existed. She ended up running away with her father and harbored a hatred against hunters and werewolves alike. She blamed the werewolves for the hunters mistrust of the magic folk and wanted them dead just as badly as her mother’s hunting family. She took up her own crest, this one right here. This could be history repeating itself.”

“But that’s just lore,” Allison argued from the door of the study and Stiles rolled his eyes.

“Just like the werewolves are just lore?” Stiles countered, not backing down from her hard stare. “It doesn’t really matter, though does it? She obviously has heard the story before and she relates to it. She must know that you and your dad live here and with Gerard gone you two are the only ones she can enact her twisted revenge on.”

“If that’s the case, then isn’t gathering all of the packs here a good thing? If she wants to attack your home she wouldn’t expect to find us all here. We could catch her by surprise and put an end to all of this.” Harry pointed out and Stiles grimaced.

“I honestly can’t say that I care what happens to Andrea. She’s crazy and the fact that she’s turning so many young kids against a world and community that would gladly welcome them is horrible, but those kids don’t deserve to get hurt. Whatever this comes down to I don’t want any of the children from any of our packs involved, but I also want to try and save all of the kids that she has manipulated and held under her thumb.”

“If that’s the plan then we need to really think about a defensive strategy that will keep all parties from inflicting as little damage as possible.” Harry pointed out and Hannah rose her hand to speak.

“This isn’t a classroom, sweetie, you can say whatever you want here.” Allison encouraged, walking fully into the room to sit at the table across from her.

“What if we want to help defend your home?”

“You’re doing great just by giving us this information. We know you want to help and that’s great, but you’re still so young.” Danny tried to sooth her, but she seemed to be having none of it.

“How old are you, Hannah?” Derek asked, curious.

“Sixteen.” She held her head up in a way that only young children do when they are try to appear older than they really are.

“That’s the same age that you guys started in the supernatural world.” Derek pointed out and Stiles glared at him for daring to bring that up in the presences of the child who so badly wanted to put herself in harms way.

“We only got involved because Scott got bitten, we were forced into it.”

“The Family tried to recruit me and they threatened your home. If we’re going to start a treaty with the Hale pack then it would only be right that we stood to defend it. You might have been forced into it, but I have a choice. I have a spark, I’m not a wolf and I don’t need a pack, but I want to be part of Harry’s and I want us to join yours. You can’t stop me from wanting to help people that matter to me.”

“Very well said, Hannah. We could use someone with your spirit before this is all over.” Chris commented as he walked into the room. Stiles tried to get a read on the man, but he was looking at Hannah instead, contemplation settled onto his tired face.

“You might be used to grooming hunters, Chris, but these kids’ safety is our highest priority.”

“That’s a low blow and you know it,” Allison glared, “my dad never wanted to bring me into this life and he was forced to by my crazy aunt. Now we know that there is another crazy Argent running around out there and it’s our job to end this before she does even more damage to our real family.” If Allison had been a wolf her eyes would already be shining a bright amber. Her body was rigid as she spoke with passion that seemed all consuming. Chris stood beside her. His hand was firmly on her shoulder which allowed her to draw strength and comfort from his silent solidarity.

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” Stiles deflated at the sight of his friend needing to pull together the last tethers of her patients to deal with his childish demands.

“I think we all need a little air, maybe we should all just take a break for now. I’m sure Harry will want a tour of the house. Maybe we can even bring the alphas into the garden so they can feel more at home?” Derek suggested and everyone in the room nodded. Allison immediately retreated with her father, Danny not far behind as he showed Harry and Hannah back to the tents where the rest of their pack awaited.

“I am such an ass.” Stiles sighed as soon as he knew that they were alone. Derek moved closer to scoop his mate into his arms. Slowly he walked them to the couch, careful to guide Stiles without ever letting go. When they were finally settled with Stiles on top of him, head pillowed on his chest, he spoke.

“You’re worried about those kids. The ones on this side of the fence and the ones on the other. You wouldn’t be the great pack mum that you are if you didn’t care. I think it’s time we all just stepped back and took a minute to collect ourselves though. We’ve all been stressed.” Derek was drawing circles on Stiles’ lower back as he spoke, effectively lulling the man into a much calmer state.

“I’m just so sick of not knowing when the next strike will come. I feel like even though we know who the enemy is, it doesn’t actual help us understand her or what her next move might be.” Stiles spoke into his lover’s chest, burying all of his worries and fears into the one man he knew would be able to take them.

“I know, I feel the same.”

* * *

“I want answers now.” Andrea bellowed from the center of her living room. She and her ragtag team had found shelter well enough away from the Hale pack and she was sick of no longer being ahead of her own game. Of course none of the children that she had taken into her care could help. It often occurred to her the great disadvantage of having children behind her cause, but their naivety and resilience in the face of insurmountable odds heavily weighed in her favor 

“Is it possible that we underestimated the druid?” Cordelia asked, voice quiet. She never spoke against Andrea, especially not openly and the thought of her being up a weakness now made the huntress furious.

“Is it possible that I underestimated your loyalty?” She spoke, her tone cold and calculated

“She isn’t the only one who feels that way, a lot of us think it might be the druid.” Kal, one of the older boys who spent more time staring at her second in command than focusing his own talented magical abilities spoke up to the murmured assent of most of the room.

“Is there anyone here who doesn’t question me?” Andrea screeched, her voice several octaves above normal. Her demands met silence and it only added to her fury. “All of you out, now.” The room emptied faster than a classroom at last bell on a Friday. Andrea didn’t bother to hide her rage as even her most trusted partner left, a concerned look thrown over her shoulder. In all of her time plotting to take down the people that both made and destroyed her, she had never felt more alone than she did in that moment.

Forgetting herself and her standing in their little organization, Andrea found her on the balcony of the room she had claimed for herself. She found a bottle of wine chilling in a bucket on the small table, a peace offering from Cordelia no doubt. She left blindly for the bottle, it was open and already breathing, just wait for her to drown her day in. Bringing the bottle to her nose, the mix of alcohol and sweet grapes assaulted her senses and she was transported back to a time when she was a young girl. Gerard had come to visit her when she was first orphaned. She hadn’t known who he was, or why he came, but she always remembered the wine he brought. It was for the owner of the children’s home, a gift he would say, before winking to her. She always liked to believe that he knew she was sneak sips when everyone else was asleep, thought that it was their own little secret. That was before all of the horribly secrets that he had stored away in his psychotic mind came to light and then Andrea hated him and that wine. It seemed like the only thing they had to share. And yet when she plotted and planned to take down the creatures that made her father’s family evil, she found comfort in the old drink. It was more fuel to the flame, the taste bittersweet to her tongue.

The bottle was empty by the time the sun had fully set. The air was crisp, gently whispering through her hair that she couldn’t remember letting out of it’s tight braid. On nights like this, when she could sit in the silence of her own mind, it was easy to see her plans to fruition. She could taste the victory of bringing justice to her mother and their family. She could almost believe that the home that her disjointed team squatted in was actually her own. It was so easy to pretend.

“I knew you would finish the bottle. I thought about putting out another one, but then I thought better. I know you’d drink it all.” Cordelia was so young, despite her bravado. It never struck Andrea more than in those moments when she felt that the girl might be her own child and that she had failed her.

“I’m glad you didn’t.” As far as apologies went it was a poor showing, that Andrea knew too well, but for all of her stubborn actions, she always knew when to let things lie and let the huntress have her way. It was one of the many reasons why Andrea kept her so close. She was the product of both the greatest achievements and failings of Andrea’s own mistakes.

“If you let us help, I’m sure we could stop the Hale pack. Then we’d all be safe, just like you promised.” The girl was so earnest, believing every spoon fed lie that the destruction of other magical beings was for the greater good brought tears to Andrea’s eyes. What honestly made her better than the man who took away her entire life? The wine was messing with her head, she should never have drank the bottle. Cordelia was right to deny her a second one.

“I’m sure you could. Let me sleep now, I’m so tired.” She clenched her eyes tight, willing the tears to disappear. “We’ll talk in the morning, I promise.”

“You do?” The hope in the girl’s voice nearly broke her.

“Yes,” Andrea knew even then that it was a lie. She never kept her promises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am absolutely sure that I will finish not only this story but both this series and the prequel one at some point, but I have no idea how long it will take me. That being said as the show progresses and I take my time writing, don't be surprised if I start to weave in characters that were not originally planned for this story as they were added to the show. (FYI I am specifically talking about Kira at the moment because when I started this season 3b hadn't even started yet and I LOVE her, but I have yet to figure out how I am going to add her, but I just might have figure it out!) So with that in mind I promise I will update, I just can't promise when...


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pack is finally setting plans in motion to go after Andrea and her Family, but it seems that Isaac's cub has different plans for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy. I know this took far too long and I'm sorry! I hope that you all enjoy this chapter!

Stiles was awake before the sunlight snuck through their bedroom curtains. It had been a week since the packs had arrived in their home and the constant hum of energy throughout their halls distracted him and made it hard to sleep. Derek had been in meetings with the other alphas for most of the time leaving Stiles to keep up with the house and their many guests. There were a few humans with the spark amongst their ranks and Stiles had taken to teaching them to control and use their power in the front lawn with Danny and even Deaton when he was available. Despite having so much to fill his time, he still found time to miss his pack and his mate. They were besides him every step of the way, but there were too many people in their home to make him truly feel at home.

With more people came more opinions and it wasn’t a shock that they were still stuck in meetings and conversations instead of taking action. They were still in disagreement on the plan to take down Andrea and her misguided family. Stiles still believed that the children on both sides should be spared at all costs, but he could see he was fighting a losing battle. They would either have to wait for her to find and come to them or they would have to strike first. If they waited they would have more time for training, but if they struck hard and fast they just might have enough of an advantage that they could stop the woman.

With a deep sigh, he pulled himself out of bed and made his way down to the kitchen. It was still very early and the kitchen was empty and silent. Allison and Ethan were taking care of most of the food while they continued to host the other packs, but Stiles still liked to get into the kitchen when he could and at least make something to add to the massive amount of food that was being churned out for every meal. He set to work making blueberry muffins from scratch.

Baking had always been a stress reliever for the man and it was doing wonders to bring his anxiety level down. In the end he knew that the children would have to fight with them. He and his pack had just been children when they had first been thrown into the supernatural world. Unlike them, these children would have more people than they could count to help support them and keep them safe. He had to keep that in mind in the growing months if he was going to back any plans that involved using the children to help end this war.

Stiles was careful to sift the dry ingredients, making sure that the muffins would be light and fluff. The repetitive motion of sifting put him in a near meditative state and he hardly noticed when another one of his pack members joined him in the kitchen.

Allison watched from the doorway to the kitchen, a tired smile on her face. She and Stiles often disagreed and their fights had in the past ened in explosive screaming matches that put the pack in an awkward state after, but as much as they fought like siblings they also loved each other like siblings. She cleared her throat quietly, alerting Stiles of her presence before walking fully into the room.

“Would you mind a little help?”

“Not at all, that would be great.” Stiles gave her one of his bright smiles letting her know that all of the tension from their fight a week earlier was gone and the two began to work together in perfect harmony.

As the sun fully took its place in the sky, the manor began to stir. Scott had come down at one point and began to brew the coffee. Lydia was working their cappuccino machine while Ethan got to work making a breakfast spread of eggs, sausage, bacon, and homefries. Danny was setting up a full tea setting, putting out multiple different tea bags with cups, a teapot of hot water, and the cream and sugar. Jackson, Aiden, Maria, and Cora begin to move the food and drinks outside where they had set up a dining tent of sorts. Melissa and John were both at work and Chris had been in the early morning meeting with Derek and the rest of the alphas so they would no doubt be joining them outside when they were done. By the time the muffins were out of the oven and cooled enough to be placed in multiple bread baskets, the rest of the food was already out the door and on the tables.

“Let’s just eat and forget about everything else for now.” Allison smiled in the way that made the sun pale in comparison and it set Stiles at ease.

“Yeah, I think I can do that.” They walked out on the lawn with their arms linked, a clear sign that all was well between them. It seemed to set the tone under the tent and the conversation that had already existed lightened considerably.

“If I could just have everyone’s attention.” Derek called from front of the tent and all eyes fell on him. He motioned to Stiles to join him and when his mate stood by his side, he pulled him close with a tight single-arm hug. “I just wanted to thank everyone who has come out to make this amazing alliance possible. I know that there have been some tense moments and I know that not all of your alpha’s have had a chance to touch base with you in regards to things that were decided upon this morning, but I just wanted to say that we believe we have made the best decision for our families. With that in mind. I want everyone to dig in and enjoy. We’re going to have some tough times ahead of us, but right now we should remember that we have each other and we will see this thing through.” Derek nodded to those in line that they were able to continue piling up their plates. He turned to place a gentle kiss on his mate’s forehead.

“Hey there, sourwolf.” Stiles smiled, overjoyed to be in his mate’s arms again.

“Hey there yourself.” Derek smiled, the shine in his eye one of the most attractive things about his powerful werewolf.

“I missed you this morning. Was the meeting okay?”

“It was, but we can talk about this later, I meant it when I said everyone should take this opportunity to relax.”

“Okay.” Stiles let the matter drop and moved to get food. He quickly scanned the room to make sure that all of his pups were already fed. It was a natural instinct at this point and he would never allow himself to eat if those in his charge were not being fed first.

There were many small tables all around the lawn to allow the many packs to mingle. A single long table or even a few long tables would not have lent to flowing conversation so they felt that small round tables of six to eight was the perfect way to make sure everyone was getting to know each other. They also enforced that for at least one meal a day there was only one alpha per table and there were never more than three people from the same pack at a table. Stiles took a seat with Maria and the young girl Hannah. Helena was the alpha of the table along with Alex, the youngest child of her pack. The rest of the seats were empty until they were joined by two adult members from the Washington pack.

“Have you heard from Jason?” Helena started the conversation with a relatively heavy topic. Stiles had half the mind to not answer her, but thought better of it.

“Yes we have, he was able to check in with us not to long after everyone arrived and again last night. He’s working his way through her organization, but he hasn’t managed to gain anyone’s trust yet. I suppose the most I can hope for is that he stays safe.”

“It was quite the risk on his part to go undercover, but I think that is one of the best and most remarkable things about children. Your pack is all young and I know from the stories that you all took quite large risks, but I think that in the end it was all worth it, no?”

Stiles couldn’t help, but agree. Helena let the conversation drop and instead turned to Hannah to ask her how things were in her own pack. Her pack was the newest by far and they seemed to function incredibly well despite the adversity that they had overcome. The two were deep in conversation allowing Stiles a moment to gather his own thoughts without the need to worry about another alpha’s scrutiny.

Breakfast finished with little fanfare. The alphas returned to the manor to finish their meeting which left Stiles feeling wholly alone once more. The rest of his pack seemed to be doing a decent job of cleaning up and there were no spark classes to be had today and so Stiles wandered away from the overcrowded lawn and back into the house. The inner garden had always been Stiles’ favorite place, but since the addition of so many packs it had become his sanctuary. He loved to sit in the middle of the colorful foliage and just think.

“Stiles, are you okay?” Scott spoke gently from his right and Stiles was pulled from his thoughts to face the worried face of his oldest friends.

“Hey Scotty, sorry I didn’t hear you.” Scott slid down onto the the bench besides him.  
“I know, I’m just worried about you, is all.” Stiles couldn’t help, but smile as he leaned his body into the man. Scott instinctively wrapped his arms around Stiles and began to rub small circles into his arm. “You know that we will get her, right? We’ve never failed before.”

“I know, I’m just afraid of the cost of winning.”

“We both know that you and Derek would never let anything happen to any of those kids if you could help it. Hell I wouldn’t either.” Stiles hummed in response, preferring not to speak. He rather enjoyed the quiet when he could manage it especially with so many people in their house. The calm spell that had fallen over them vanished when both men felt a shock of pain through the pack bond.

“Isaac!” They locked eyes for a mere moment before tearing into the house toward the unmistakable howl of Scott’s mate.

“What’s going on?” Scott demanded, the echo of his alpha past rising to the front. Stiles had no answers, but he knew better than to point that out. Scott had always had the ability to become an alpha again, it would have taken time and persistence, but Derek had come into his own and he had gracefully stepped aside for the older wolf. Now it seemed as if all of those instincts were coming to the foreground and even Stiles had to put extra energy into his steps to keep up with his best friend.

Together they made it through the house and up the stairs, past the landing that divided the two wings from the main house and straight toward the alpha’s wing. Isaac and his mates had been placed in the closest rooms to Derek and Stiles’. It was the farthest point from the middle of the manor but it took them seconds to arrive at the open door.

Lydia and Allison were already there with the twins. Isaac was lying in one of guest beds in the alpha wing, his body propped up by multiple pillows. Both women were holding his hands and Lydia fled from the wolf’s side when she saw Scott’s shaking form in the door.

“He’s having contractions. His body is trying to ready him for birth, but he obviously can’t have a natural birth so it’s straining his body more than it would for a woman.” Lydia explained, wringing her hands as she anxiously looked between their alpha mom and his favorite pup.

“Call Deaton and get Melissa in here immediately. If you could also get my Dad and Chris that would be great.” The twins left the room to get the others and Lydia was already pulling her phone from her pocket and dialing their emissary. Stiles was a very powerful druid, a natural gift due to his spark, but he would need Deaton’s knowledge to help Isaac have a safe birth.

“What’s happening?” Derek arrived and the rest of the pack seemed to be right behind him.

“Cora go get towels and water, I can heat it here. Maria tell the other packs that everything is okay, Isaac is just going into labor. Take Danny and Jackson with you so you can spread the word faster.”

“What do you need from me?” Derek asked. He had a slightly panicked expression on his face that Stiles had learned from experience meant he was feeling useless and wanted so desperately to help. Stiles did the only thing that he knew would take the look away quickly and gave his mate a short, hard kiss.

“Stay with Allison. We’re going to need you in the room for the spell to work, but right now I need enough room to set up. Melissa will let you know if you can help any other way.”

Their resident nurse and soon to be grandmother appeared as if on cue, her eyes full of worry. “Technically I’ve done this before, but not quite like this.”

“Well you’re in luck because that is still more experience than we have.” Stiles tried for humor, but fell a bit short of the mark.

“Where is Deaton?” Scott growled, the wolf in him taking over more. He was taking as much of Isaac’s pain as he could and Derek helped intermittently, but their bodies were not handled to take it. Isaac’s own body could only handle the phantom contractions of muscles that he didn’t even have because of the magic coursing through his veins that had made this entire ordeal possible.

“He said he’ll be here in ten minutes. John and Chris are also going to be here soon.” Lydia spoke as she walked back into the room. “Do you want me to go find Danny again? We’re going to need him.”

“Thank you, Lyds. When everyone is done with the tasks that I sent them on have them wait together. The gardens might be the best. I don’t want this room over crowded.” She nodded to her alpha’s mate and left the room again in search of Danny and the rest of the pack.

“You’re handling this remarkably well. I can’t see why you needed my help.” Deaton’s soft voice was teasing as the mysterious man entered the room.

“Oh thank god.” Stiles huffed out, his hands beginning to shake and his voice growing unsteady. “Do you know how difficult it is to be brave and calm when you have no clue what the fuck you’re doing?”

“My grandbaby better not hear swears as their first word.” Melissa threatened from her place by the bed as Isaac screamed his way through another contracting.

“They’re getting closer together.” Allison warned and all humor fell from Deaton’s face.

“Alright then, as soon as Danny arrives we can start.” Deaton set down the bag on his arm and began to take out runes and necessary ingredients for the spell. They would be doing a cesarean section or at least as close to one as they could. Isaac’s body had allowed itself to carry the child through magic and it would take similar magic for the birth. Danny, Allison, and Stiles would act as the three parts of the pact to anchor the spell as it took three parts of the pack to create the magic necessary to conceive the child. Deaton represented magic in its pure form and together they would see the baby to a healthy birth.

“Alright, I’m here. Are we ready to start?” Danny slipped into the room looking more calm than he felt through the pack bond, but Stiles was glad for the show. His demeanor set the tone for the room and building panic subsided.

“Good, into the positions that we practiced.” Deaton instructed and the three each took up a side of the bed.

Scott was remaining on the bed right at Isaac’s side while Allison sat behind him, her arms holding on to his sides to keep him physically anchored to the spell and to herself. Stiles stood to the right, beside Scott, and Derek stayed right behind him while Danny stood opposite them to the left of the bed. Deaton and Melissa took up the available space at the foot of the bed and they were ready to begin. The spell itself was extremely complicated and for that Deaton would be doing nearly all of the work on his own. Stiles was the second most skilled druid in the room. He needed the older man’s guidance through the spell even though in raw power he surpassed Deaton’s own abilities.

Deaton and Melissa laid out the necessary runes while the emissary began to chant in an ancient tongue that Stiles was sure only Lydia would have understood. The air in the room seemed to shift, the magic taking hold. The spell was meant to create the surgical cut that would allow Melissa to follow through with a relatively routine cesarean birth. Stiles’ hand naturally found Scott’s as the former alpha sat between him and Isaac. Danny was taking Allison’s hand on the other side, keeping every member in the room rooted to the spell.

The last words of the chant had only just left Deaton’s mouth when a cut began to run across Isaac’s swollen belly. They needed to perform the spell because unlike in a natural pregnancy, Melissa would have had no idea where exactly an incision had to be made and this way also allowed Isaac’s body to not heal the cut right away. With the real magic done, Melissa took charge acting every bit the professional until the moment that she lifted her crying grandson up, the pride clear in her watery eyes.

Melissa brought the baby to the side of the room where they had set up a cleaning station while Deaton began the chant to reverse the spell, allowing the cut to heal normally. It also righted the boy’s body so any changes it might have suffered while accommodating a baby it was never meant to carry would be reversed. By the time that Melissa was done cleaning and swaddling her grandson, Isaac’s body had returned to its normal fit shape.

“Isaac, say hello to your son.” Melissa beamed as she handed the small baby to his mother.

“What will you name him?” Deaton asked, having procured a birth certificate from places where Stiles prefered not to think about. There emissary had connections everywhere and it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility that he had pulled a few strings to get a legal document for them that would have taken much longer for the pack to accomplish on their own.

“Camden, after my older brother.” Isaac spoke through the biggest smile that anyone had ever seen on his face.

“Camden Christopher McCall. We wanted to make sure all of his parents are represented.” Allison said just as her father and John walked through the door.

“You’re naming him after me?” Chris walked to the bed cautiously as if he wasn’t sure if he was invited. He was pack in all but name and they had offered him to take him in officially many times, but the past was hard to forget and he still seemed unsure if he was truly welcomed.

“I am naming him after the most loving, bravest man I know.” Allison removed herself from her mate to pull her father into a hug. “Come meet your grandson.” While not biologically her child, any magical creature would be able to smell her scent or feel her magical presence in her child.

“I would like to officially welcome him to the pack in front of all of its members tonight, if it’s not too soon.” Derek defered to Scott both as the child’s other father and as his second.

“It would be an honor.” Scott said the traditional words as if he meant it will all of his heart and he and Derek clasped hands briefly before the happy father returned to fawn over his son.

Danny, Stiles, and Derek fell back to let Isaac have some space as his mates’ very happy parents crowd them. Their happy moment was very short-lived.

“Excuse me?” A small voice from the doorway made the three turn to face Hannah. She looked scared and Stiles was at her side instantly.

“What’s the matter, sweetie?”

“I know it’s not a good time, but we got contact from Jason via the message boards. It’s not good.”

“Show me.” Hannah lead him to the small library near the alpha’s suite and right to a laptop. Derek and Danny were at his side in an instant and the three crowded the small screen. Jason often checked in online rather than on the phone, it was much easier to right off a teenager surfing the web and they used that to their advantage. He did not often check in so frequently as too many messages would seem suspicious.

I’ve been found out. Send help.

“We should have never sent him.” Stiles cursed and began to pace the room. “We have to go, now.”

“We have to think about this, Stiles. It’s obviously a trap.” Danny reasoned and was leveled with a furious glare.

“We are not leaving that boy.”

“Of course not, but we do need a plan.” Derek cut in to stop the fight that they had no time for. “We will call a pack meeting first and discuss this. Then we have all of the alphas and their packs join us for a final decision. We will get him back, Stiles, but we need a plan.”

His mate’s words were a magic all their own and Stiles immediately calmed. He could still feel panic threatening to squeeze his lungs until it would be too hard to breath, but his mind stopped racing and his heart along with it. He knew without a doubt that they were going to get Jason back home safe, but it was going to take all of their exhaustible resources to not only find the boy, but also to bring down Andrea and her ragtag organization.

“We will bring him home, I promise.” Derek whispered as he pulled his mate closer. “We have always been able to accomplish what we’ve set out to do, why would we stop now?”

* * *

The sun was just beginning to rise on the balcony when one of the smaller boys came to Andrea’s side. She could feel his nervous energy upsetting the air. She knew that some of the younger, newer recruits were afraid of her. It was the price she had to pay to keep the reputation necessary to pull this entire scheme off. She beckoned the boy closer, satisfied when he obeyed without questions.

“I have word from Christian. They sent the message to the Hale Pack.”

“Good.” Andrea turned to face the boy. He seemed more confident by her answer and he lifted his head to look her in the eyes.

“Are we sure that they are going to take the bait?”

Andrea motioned for him to come to her. She held his small body to her side, her chin resting on his dirty blond hair. He was younger than most, only eleven, and he hadn’t taken to their lifestyle as well as others, but he was growing to accept her as a parent figure. “Because, my dear, for all that they may be, that monstrous pack is lead by a strong-willed boy who looks after each member like his own child. Are there any lengths that I would not go for you?”

“No.”

“Exactly. Neither will they. Come on now, we have a war to win.” She drew the boy up besides her as they reentered the house. There was very little time left and she would not lose her family to the same monsters who destroyed it to begin with. She would win this war at any cost necessary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rest of this series will be completed, though I don't know at what point. Keep checking back, I hope to write most of the next story before posting it, if not all of it, so you won't have to wait for as long between chapters. Cheers!

**Author's Note:**

> Things are finally going to be moving in the direction of actually facing the Family!


End file.
